The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-24
If there Is Not Sufficient Public Pressure to
Cause Such Action, the Railways Will
Manufacture Opinion for the Occasion.
Something About the Good Points of0gr
PARKWAY Alaska Possessions.
Shrewd and Far-Seeing Labcr-Leaders Dis
turbed Over the Political Tendencies of
the Knights-0ther Washington News.
THE INTERSTATE LAW.
People at the Capital Think 1t Will Either
BE Repealed Modified.

People at the Capital Think It Will Either
BE Repealed or Modified.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, April 23-People in Washing
ton who have been watching the operations of
the Interstatecommerce Commission from the
spot Of action, and who have kept abreast Of the
feeling of the shippers of the country, with ono
voice predict the repeal or very material amend
mont of the interstate law at the coming session
Of Congress. They declare that 1t is working
too many hardships, destroys the theory and
principle Of rivalry ana mpetition and will ruin
exports. Many are advocating its repeal. wLils
others are suggesting amendments. A member
Of the Fiftieth Congress who has just arrived
from the Southwest. and who has travelled ex-
tensively in all parts of the country during the
present month, says that there will be food Of
amendments and substituts laws offered as soon
as Congress convenes He predicts that
there will be three months of debate on
propositions affecting the interstate-com-
merce law. The observations OF this
Statesman have been duplicated by
hundreds of others not members Of Congress.
A Senator who had much to do with the creation
of this law says that the rulings OF the commits
sion cannot be satisfactory, and that there will
be continual gratings over the long-aEd-short-
haul clause. He thinks this should be repealed,
and declares that the only end sought to be
attained by the enactment Of the law was prol,i-
biton of discrimination in favor Of or against
shippers and that it can be secured quite ss well
and by q much shorter route without the long
and -short-haul clause. Instead of reducing and
simplifying the burden of the law. all anticipate
that it will be further complicated, and that the
tactics Of the railroad companies will be to make
it still further ridiculous II is stated there will
be strong fight made for substitute which
will not contain the long g-and-short and
several other clauses, but which will simply pro-
hibit Determinations in favor OF large shippers,
and which will be short and simple and do away
with the commission, which is conceded on all
hands to be a cumbersome and useless tribunal.
The substitute proposition is to be SO plain and
short as to require no interpretations, and will
put redress in the hands Of the people and in the
county courts.
OF course. this character OF solution of the
problem will be fought by not only the commits
sion, but all lawyers in Congress and ont of it
who hope to get fat fees from the people and the
common carriers. 1t is expected that there will
be much more independent action by mon in
Congress than there was last winter in. dealing
with this subject Then they knew nothing of
the effect of the law, as it had not been tested.
Now they have been shown by constituents just
enough objection to it all to give them ample ex-
cuse for voting for against any proposition.
When the subject was before Congress in the
last two Congresses men who fought shy Of it
and worked, directly or indirectly, against it.
were suspected of being influenced by the cor
pora:ions The railroads will undoubtedly
show to legislators enough hardships to constit-
uents to warrant repeal of the law. if neees-
sary. or the enactmeut OF substitute. II the
constituents have not encountered the hardships
by this time some can be made specially for
| them. The einterstate-commerce law is destined
to short life in its present condition. is the be-
| lief in Washington, and one hesitates to
| say so.